Saturday, May 29, 2010

Gonzales, pinasalamatan ang AFP sa tagumpay ng halalan

By: Fer Taboy

BALITA MIYERKULES, MAYO 19, 2010

Pinasalamatan ni Defense
Secretary Norberto Gonzales ang
Armed Forces of the Philippines
sa kanilang mahusay na trabaho
sa nakaraang lokal at pambansang
halalan.
Sinabi ni Gonzales na matapat na
nagampanan ng AFP ang tungkuling
bantayan ang seguridad at integridad
ng kauna-unahang automated polls ng
bansa noong Mayo 10.
Sa kanyang talumpati sa Change
Of Command ceremony ng Philippine
Navy sa Naval Station Jose V.Andrada
Nitong 'Sabado, ipinagmalaki ng
Defense Secretary ang malaking
nagawa ng kababaihan at kalalakihan
ng AFP para sa demokrasya.
"I don't know if the nation will
see this in the future. But this much I
will say as your Secretary of National
Defense, that the Armed Forces of the
Philippines have done the best that this
nation deserve when it comes to this
particular aspect of our democracy.
You have made the last election worthy
of our democracy," ani Gonzales.
"As a citizen of this nation, I would
say thank you to the Armed Forces of
the Philippines."
Nagpahayag rin siya ng
Kalungkutan sa mga pulis at sundalong
nagbuwis ng buhay para protektahan
ang halalan.
"You are today the most important
pillar in our society. Keep remembering
that. And we will keep reminding our
people of the importance of our Armed
Forces in nation building," aniya.
"Most important, we in the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
should recognize that we are actually
the symbol of love of country ..•That
in our uniform rests the symbol that
is the most important sentiment that
will bind our people, tha I will give
strength to the desire of our people
to have a dream and to fulfill those
dreams in the future," sabi pa Defense
chief.

Marine, PNP namayagpag sa Dragon Boat event

Remate Martes 18 Mayo 2010

NAMAYAGPAG ang Marine at Philippine National Police (PNP) teams sa katatapos na Cobra Energy Dink Dragon Boat Regatta 2010 na ginawa sa Manila Bay nitong Linggo.
Ang Fleet-Marine team ay natapos ng 1st sa men’s division, 2nd ang Philippine Dragon Fireblades, 3rd ang PNP at nasa 4th naman ang La Salle University (DSLU) Rowing Team.
Nanguna naman ang PNP sa women’s division, 2nd place ang Triton, 3rd ang DSLU at lumaglag sa 4th ang Rowers Club Philippines.
Napagwagian rin ng Fleet-Marine ang mixed division mataposilampaso ang Philippine Dragon Team Fireblades at Rowers Club Philippines.
Bago ang finals, dalawang Bangka mula sa PNP at Rowers Club Philippines at bumaligtad habang lumalaban dahil sa malakas na alon sa Manila Bay.
Wala naming nasaktan sa insidente dahil agad na nasagip ang mga miyembro ng teams.
Ayon kay Nestor Ilagan, technical director ng Philippine Dragot Boat Federation, talagang nangyayari ang paglubog ng Bangka tuwing kumpetisyon.
Subalit sinisiguro nila na lagging handa ang kanilang rescue upang sumaklolo sa ganitong insidente.

Soldiers recover IEDs after firefight

By: Audrey Morallo

Malaya Tuesday, May 18, 2010

SOLDIERS yesterday r covered 13 ammonium-nitrate type
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) , blasting caps and electrical
wirings on Saturday afternoon after a firefight with suspected
Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Talipao town, in Sulu.
Brig. Gen. Rustico Guerero, commander of the Armed Forces
Joint Task Force Comet, said there were no troop casualties.
"The marines were on patrol and site survey for a road project
when this encounter happened," he said.

Navy eyes new vessel to boost Visayas sea patrol

By ELENA L. ABEN

Manila Bulletin Monday, May 17, 2010 page 8

Security in the Visayas seaboards, as well as the rest of the archipelago,
is expected to be beef up once the Philippine Navy (PN) gets its wish of
acquiring a multi-role vessel (MRV), which costs around P5 billion.
This, after Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales committed to
complete within his remaining 45 days in office government-to-government
contracts for the acquisition of equipments needed for the Armed
Forces modernization program. President Arroyo herself has
expressed full support to the Navy's intention to procure an MRV, which
will help enhance the naval fleet's capability in territorial defense and
internal security operations, as well as humanitarian missions.
The need for a strong Philippine Navy has always been emphasized
in order to secure the country's maritime domain that spans 37,652
kilometers or 10.6 percent of the total 356,000kilometers of the world’s coastline.
Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, Navy spokesman, said the Navy undoubtedly
faces a specially challenging gargantuan task with most of its
ships, as no less than former Navy Flag Officer in Command, Vice Admiral
Ferdinand Golez admits, are even older than him and most of the
naval fleet's officers. "That has long been an open secret. To the pundits, external aggression
is remote at this time," said Arevalo, adding, "If the Philippines
wants to regain the respect of its neighbors and restore pride in the
hearts of its people, a strong navy is imperative."
In one interview, Golez told the Bulletin that the Navy at present
has obsolescent equipment, some of which are already 50 to 60-yearsold,
eyen pointing at the dock beside the Navy headquarters 'along Roxas
Boulevard, which he said has seen action during World War II and the
Vietnam War. Information obtained by this writer
also showed that one of the ships owned by the Navy
was commissioned way back in 1943 in the United States,
where its sister-ship is now displayed in a museum.
Yet despite its weakness in terms of naval capability due to obsolete,
inefficient, and ageing equipment, some of which have already reached
or are reaching the end of their lifespan, the Philippine Navy still
manages to serve well the nation and even deliver tremendous accomplishments.